Device for fastening objects to a seat



United States Patent Inventor Max Defleur 119, Rue Anatole, Levallois-Perret, France Appl. No. 735,145 Filed June 6,1968 Patented Nov. 17, 1970 Priority Feb. 29, 1968 France 141, 751

DEVICE FOR FASTENING OBJECTS TO A SEAT 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 297/188, 297/385 Int. Cl A47c 7/62 Field of Search 297/188, 385, 387, 194; 248/361A, 206A; 24/16, 201V;

References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 7/1937 Lodin 248/361 Fearson 2,288,692 7/1942 297/387 2,563,698 8/1951 Whitebread 248/361 2,983,413 5/1961 Verwers 248/361X 3,144,274 8/1964 Harris 297/385 3,241,795 3/1966 Frye 248/206A 3,307,872 3/1967 Murcott 297/385 3,309,135 3/1967 Jannetto 297/188 3,313,511 4/1967 Koerner et al. 248/361A 3,388,886 6/1968 Tucker 297/385X Primary Examiner.lames T. McCall Attorney-Karl F. Ross ABSTRACT: A body support consisting of a seat and a back has a pair of flexible, straplike members anchored to it at the parting line between its seat and back surfaces, one member being tensioned to lie flat against one surface (e.g. that of the back) and having an exposed face provided with gripping elements, such-as the loops or hooks of a Velcro fastener, engageable with complementary elements on the free end of the other member when the latter is slung about an object to be secured to the seat.

Patented Nov. 17, 1970 Sheet 1 012 Max DEFLEUR Inventor gear! 9 Attorney Patented Nov. 17, 1970 Sheet 2 of 2 Max DEFLEUR Inventor Kari 730 t orney 1 DEVICE FOR FASTENING-OBJECTS TO A SEAT It is known that any object laid on a movable seat, notably I an automobile seat, must be fastened thereto to prevent the object from being thrown forwards in case of sudden deceleration.

I have found that the devices designed for, permitting this The device according to this invention for fastening objects to a body support including a seat and a backrest comprises a ing line between the seat and its back, and means adapted to vary the useful lengthof the strap surrounding partially or' completely the object'to be fastened.

According to a specific feature of the invention the means for varying the strap length for anchoring at least one point of the strap to at least one point of the back or a member adjacent thereto.

This anchor point may be located on the above-mentioned line of intersection of the seat and th back, along the rear face ofthe back or alternately on thefront face thereof.

The anchoring means may consist of buttons (such as dome fasteners), clips, buckles, hooks, magnets, etc.

The strap itself may be of the self-fastening or self-anchoring type, such as the tapes and ribbons sold under the trademark Velcro".

According to an advantageous embodiment, the device comprises a belt extending vertically upwards from said line to the top of the back; if desired, this belt may extend further back along the rear face of the back.

Besides, this belt may also constitute an extension of the strap.

It will be readily understood that if, for instance, the strap and belt are made from or provided with the aforesaid .Velcro. ribbons, it will only be necessary to place the object upon the seat, adjacent the back, on the strap, so that by simply folding this strap backwards against'the seat back the mutual strap having one end secured to a point located near the part- FIG. 1 illustrates in perspective view a seat in which no clearance is available between the seat proper and the back, in

combination with a fastening device embodying my invention;

FIG. 2, is a view similar to FIG. 1 but concerning a seat wherein the fixed gend' of a strap can be inserted between h seat proper and the back;

FIG. 3 is .a similar view showing a modified embodiment;

and. FIGS. 4and 5 are diagrams illustrating two special arrangements.

As already explained hereinabove, the device for fastening objects to a seat in accordance with my invention comprises a strap S secured by one end S, to a'point located in the vicinity of parting line L between the seat 1 and its back 2, and means adapted to permit theadjustment' of the useful length of the strap surrounding partially or totally the object O to be fastened. r

In the arrangements illustrated in FIGS. I to 3, a belt B extends vertically upwards along the back to constitute an extension of strap 5. this belt being advantageously tensioned on the rear surface of back 2 by means of rubber cords 3 having their free ends attached to the nonillustrated cushioning springs on the underside of the seat (FIGS. 1 and 2) or to the opposite end of belt B (FIG. 3).

Under these conditions, it is only necessary to provide on the belt B a plurality of fastening" meanssuch as knobs (notably dome fasteners), clips, hooks, magnets, etc. and to provide on the free end S, of the strap a complementary herent ribbon or tape such as the above-mentioned one-known engagement of the two elements will produce the desired'- fastening effect.

Alternatively, the free end of the strap may carry magnet buttons, fasteners, clips, etc. adapted to engageeither the belt of the seat back provided in turn with complementary elements, or such complementary elements disposed onthe rear face of the back. Y a

It will also bepossible to let the fastening members carried by the strap engage elastic cords concealed behind the back after the strap has been passed over the top ofthe back. I r

I A reverse arrangement may also be utilized wherein an end of the strap is secured to a point located near the parting line and its opposite end is anchored to the front portion of the seat.

According to a specific feature of my invention, the strap end and possibly the belt end is or are solid with a metal member inserted between the seat and the back and adapted to be anchored'to either of these in support portions.

According to a modified form of embodiment applicable more particularly when no clearance exists between the seat and the back, a rigid or resilient transverse member is located along said parting line and secured to the seat'or the back by its ends. I

According to a further feature of this invention the strap end is secured to the lower portion of the seat back or to the lower face of the seat proper (for example to the springs thereof) by means of elastic cords, thus keeping the straps under tension.

According to a modified arrangement the strap may be disposed around the back and comprise means foranchoring the fixed strap end.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing wherein:

under the trademark "Velcro" for the strap and/or the belt, this Velcro" tape being disposed either longitudinallyas shown at 7 (strap) and 8 (belt) in Fig. 1, or transverselyon the strap and longitudinally on the belt (as shown at 7', 8 in FIG. 2), or transversely on the belt and longitudinally on the belt (7,8',FIG.3).

- It is important that one end of the strap S be anchored at a point located near theparting line L between the seat and the back. If a clearance-'orgtip is available along this line, the strap S maycomprise a small anchor G engageable under the seat (FIG. -2). Besides, if desired, this small anchor G may be replaced by a set of hooks adapted to engage the springs under the seat. In the foregoing, when reference is made to the end secured near the parting line it isintended to be refer to the end of the useful portion of the strap S, thisstrap extending if desired beyond the line of intersection as shown notably in FIG. 3 or in FIG. 5, the strap shown in the latter FIG. being adapted to extend more or less under the seat I.

If no clearance, passage or gap is available between the seat and the back, a-transverse member 4 secured to the seat or the backby its two ends4a and 4b must be disposed along the line L, this transverse member consisting for example of a metal by means of a strap by causing its two ends to pass -twice between the seat 1 and the back 2, and anchoring said ends to the back or to the seat for example by means of a yoke 5 and n spindle 6.

If desired, the belt B may also be disposed on the seat proper instead of being fastened to the back (as in FIG. 5).

Besides, a strap-winding winding device carried either by the back or by the seat may be utilized; in this case the strap end is secured to the other support portion (back or seat).

Finally, if the object to be fastened has a constant perimeter, the strap secured with one end to the point located in the vicinity of the parting line has its free end anchored either to the back or to the seat.

It will thus be seen that l have provided a strapping device wherein two flexible elongate members B, S, adapted to lie flat against a horizontal seat surface and a substantially vertical back surface, cooperate to retain an object to be secured to the body support l, 2, one of these members (Le. the belt B in FIGS. 13) being held for this purpose against one surface by retaining means 3 so as to lie substantially perpendicular to the parting line L. The Velcro fastener 7 (or 7'), 8 (or 8) consists, as is well known. ofa multiplicity of gripping elements in the form of coacting hooks and loops which are partly distributed over a substantial part of the length of the stationary member B, on an exposed face thereof. and are partly provided on th free end S of the other member whereby the latter may be slung about objects of different girth to hold them in place. The use of elastic tie cords as the retaining means, serving to tension the belt B against the surface of baclt 2, further contributes to the stability of the attachment against shocks of the type likely-to occur in a moving vehicle.

We claim:

l. A device for strapping objects to a body support having a first and a second portion adjoining each other substantially at right angles. said portion forming a horizontal seat surface,

said second portion forming a substantially vertical back surface rising form said seat surface and defining a parting line therewith, comprising:

a first and a second flexible elongate member secured to said body support at an anchor point near said parting line; retaining means for holding said first member substantially perpendicular to said parting line against one of said surfaces; first fastening means on an expose face ofsaid first member;

and 1 complementary second fastening means on a free end of said second member-remote from said line of intersection positioned for interengagement with said first fastening means to secure an object girded by said second member in position on said body support.

.2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said fastening means comprises a multiplicity ofgripping elements distributed over a substantial part of the length of the corresponding elongate member to accommodate objects of different girth.

3. A device as defined in claim I wherein said first member has an extremity looped about an edge of one of said portions parallel to said parting line. said retaining means engaging said extremity beyond said edge.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said retaining means comprises elastic tic mctms secured to the underside of said portion.

5. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said members are integral with each'other. I

6. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said first member rises along said back surface, said second member normally lying on said seat surface.

7. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said members are straps adapted to lie flat against said surfaces. 

